Touch Series (Contemporary Romance), Page 3

  “No.” His curt tone halted her words. He spoke again, more gently, “I bought it because I wanted to. It suits you by the way.”

  The compliment bolstered her confidence. Kelly was not unaware that she was pretty but Greg’s cheating and sly insults had shaken her badly. Growing up she had never been the pretty blonde cheerleader type. Other kids had made fun of her fiery hair and wan skin and while she had bloomed at some point there was always a small doubt hidden below the surface.

  The car idled at the curb and he handed her in. She sank into the plush seat, inhaling the scent of lather and his cologne. The budding eagerness in her belly had become full blown; she was literally shaking with anticipation.

  The streets unfurled past the windows: restaurants and bars, closed stores and shoals of laughing tourists and locals all taking advantage of the warm air and mild breezes. They left the congested city streets behind and began to wind east, heading through tiny hamlets and wealthy enclaves.

  His fingers caressed her upper thighs and a warm flush spread throughout her body. “Tell me about the places you love to travel to.”

  That surprised her because nobody had ever asked her that before. “I don’t know yet. I haven’t had much of a chance to travel to the places I would really like to see.”

  “And where would that be?”

  “Paris, London, I know those are all the same places everyone wants to go. I would love to see Bora Bora or Fiji. When I was a kid,” she chuckled at the memory, “I would pretend to be from Australia so I suppose I would really like go there someday too.

  “How about you?”

  “I would really like to see Italy.”

  “I can picture you piloting a gondola,” she teased.

  Michael laughed. “I would probably go right overboard. I’ve never been on a boat of any kind.”

  “Really?”

  “Really,” he tilted a white toothed smile at her, making her heart thud almost painfully against her ribs, “Why do you look so stunned?”

  “I love the water.” Sincerity rang from her voice. “I would love a Laser but I have never been able to afford one. I learned to sail when I lived with the Parker’s.”

  Her mouth snapped shut as she realized she had said too much. Michael saw that gesture and wondered who the Parker’s were but he sensed asking would upset her so he left it alone. “Maybe we should go out on the water one afternoon. You could chauffer me around.”

  That comment made her laugh. “Chauffer you around?”

  “Yeah, captain, chauffer….”

  “That would be fun.” It would be and it made her smile thinking of it. “They rent boats out at the marina and they have one I really like. Can you swim?”

  “If I’m in danger of drowning.”

  He had rarely felt so relaxed, so willing to be open. Something about Kelly made him feel far less guarded than he usually did. They both laughed at that quip as he turned left and stopped the car in front of a set of ornate and extremely high gates.

  Nerves hit her all over again. She had to swallow hard just to say her name when the disembodied voice coming from the speaker asked her for it and an ID. Michael held his own ID and a black card, made of leather and bearing a single crimson rose on its surface, out the window for inspection. The gates clicked open and they drove slowly through them.

  Fear supplanted her enthusiasm as they pulled up in front of an enormous mansion built of brick. Dozens of cars, mostly expensive, sat in the driveway but all of the windows were dark.

  The sea backed the house. She could smell a tang of salt and that unmistakable seaside breeze lapped against her face as Michael helped her out of the car. Her heels felt too high as she navigated the walkway, she was terrified that she would twist an ankle and wind up on her ass before the door even opened.

  When they did make it up the stairs the heavy wooden doors opened and a face peered at them from the shadowy interior. Gradually that face became sharper and more in focus: a sleek coil of ultra-blonde hair pulled back from a patrician face, long tanned limbs peeking from below a short black sheath and narrow feet with perfect little crescents of nail shown to their best advantage in a pair of strappy stilettos.

  “Hello Michael,” red tipped nails came out and clutched the sleeve of his tailored suit, “Don’t you look amazing?”

  Jealousy swelled into Kelly, before she could think of anything to say Michael had said, “Hello Lolita, meet Kelly.”

  Kelly muttered a less-than-gracious hello. Lolita didn’t seem to notice, her fingers clutched tighter at his sleeve as she said, “I’m so glad to see you back. Come in, why don’t you?”

  Michael had been hoping against hope that Lolita wouldn’t attend the party. They had a past, but it was the past as far as he was concerned and he didn’t care to repeat it. Lolita was a beautiful barracuda.

  He knew he couldn’t give her a single inch, if he did she would try for a mile. He turned and held out his hand to Kelly. Lolita’s fingers slid off of his jacket sleeve and a look of discontent, quickly hidden, crossed her lovely face. Kelly and he stepped inside a candlelit and shadowed foyer, walked down a long hallway whose dimensions seemed magnified by the low light and through a set of doors.

  A crowd of people, some of them nude and others in costumes ranging from the sensual to the downright bizarre, were clustered into a large room. Long tables holding trays of decadent chocolates, creamy cheeses and sweet fruits as well as platters of thinly sliced meats stood on one side of the room. Champagne flowed into glasses from a small fountain and Michael smiled down at her for a long moment.

  “Go get a champagne for us. Bring back half a glass for you and a whole glass for me. Bring a chocolate, just one, and a large ripe strawberry.”

  Her breath caught at the almost cruelly curt order. She started to protest, tell him to go get his own damn drink, but something deep inside her being strangled that protest to death before she could.

  The night swirled on around them. Rock music played form speakers and the champagne was bubbly and dry, Kelly sipped it slowly, wanting to savor its unique taste. Michael hand fed her the chocolate and strawberry, instructing her to take tiny nibbles and let the flavors lie on her tongue. She closed her eyes, bliss filling her as she ate the delicacies.

  People began to touch each other and on a long table a woman was strapped face down while a man stood over her, his hands and a hard wooden paddle leaving red marks across her ass and legs. She cried out and ground her pelvis against the table, creating an answering ache in Kelly’s body.

  Michael watched her rapt face and he couldn’t help but smile. He’d sensed she was submissive, that she was the kind of woman he had been looking for the moment they had begun to talk and the night before had proven that to be true. What would this night bring?

  Kelly was wondering the same thing. Every second that passed kept her guessing and when Michael took her by the hand and led her out to the long moonlit gardens she felt a tremble of pure desire in her lower belly.

  “Strip.”

  The order was spoken in the softest of voices but the tone was purely steel. Her hands went to the halter of her dress and she paused, fighting to obey and fighting the urge to say no all at that same moment.

  The dress came off. It landed at her feet with a whispering sigh that sounded far too loud. The scent of gardenia and roses mingled with the scent of the sea, cool air caressed her nipples –hardening them.

  She stood there, wearing only the heels and stockings and Michael sucked in a breath at the sight of her. His cock gave a hard twitch and he saw her eyes drop to the front of his slacks, she had seen that movement and a small smile curved her lips.

  “Take off the shoes. You won’t want them on.”

  She left the stockings on, and when her feet touched the warm ground below her pussy was already slickly wet. Michael ran a finger through the damp curls there, chuckling as she pumped her hips out at his finger.

  “Not so fast.” He chided and th
en he pulled the small bundle of black silk rope from his pocket. He turned her around, pulling her arms behind her. She gasped at the sensation of the rope wrapping around her wrists.

  Finished with that Michael walked back in front of her. Her shoulders were pulled behind her and her breasts thrust upward, her pink nipples tight little peaks. He could see the arousal on her face and he pulled the blindfold out and dangled it in front of her.

  Kelly was confused by the blindfold but when he put it over her eyes instant darkness descended and so did fear. She cried out, a sharp exclamation against the dark.

  “Trust me.” His voice sounded in her ear and his hands caressed her breasts, his thumbs and fingers tweaking and flicking across her nipples.

  “I’m scared.”

  “That’s okay,” He stroked his fingers along her spine, enjoying the way she relaxed under his hands. “We’re going to play a game.”

  “Game? What kind of game?”

  “Hide and seek.”

  Kelly laughed, a little crazily. Was he serious? He wanted to play a kid’s game? “I can’t see,” she pointed out.

  “That makes it even better. Now come find me and you will earn a reward.”

  His hands left her skin and she spun in a circle, she couldn’t move her arms and frustration ran through her. A nightingale sang from somewhere and she felt panic overtaking her. Watching her from a distance Michael could tell she was afraid but excited as well. Her head came up, her nostrils flaring and she began to stumble down the path toward him.

  She cried out in pain when thorns struck her legs. The need to yank the blindfold off was strong but more than anything else she wanted whatever it was he had planned for a reward and she couldn’t remove it anyway so she stood still for a moment, trying to get her bearings then set off again in search of him.

  She almost fell, her heartbeat accelerated as she fetched up against on what felt like a tree. Tears crept into her eyes but she righted herself and kept going. Watching her he felt a surge of possessive pride, she was tough and she was determined.

  The moon sailed high over them and he stepped to one side as she approached. His hands came out and he ran his fingers across her belly and hips.

  Kelly screamed. Hard hands grabbed her and held her close and Michael’s voice came in, filtering through her fear and the darkness. His hard and warm body soothed her and his hands held her hips captive to his. She could feel his throbbing maleness and she raised her mouth to his, hungry for his kisses.

  His mouth came down on hers. Tongues and breath meshed and she rubbed her pelvis against his. Michael whispered into her ear, “I want to feel your mouth.”

  He didn’t need to say anything more. She went to her knees, his hands resting on the top of her head to guide her to the ground. The concrete of the path scrubbed her knees and his heavy cock tapped against her scarlet lips. She opened her mouth for him.

  Kelly took a long breath as his member slid past her lips. He was larger than Greg and she had to fight the gag reflex to get him down her throat. She sucked and twirled her tongue around the swollen head. She couldn’t use her hands to aid her, which was strange but she felt somehow empowered by it, so she worked harder, her jaw aching even as lust pulsed through her.

  Michael bucked his hips and held her head tightly. His pleasure rose higher as she tightened her lips around his shaft and flicked her tongue across his head. He gasped as she pulled away and ducked her head lower, seeking out his balls.

  Kelly groaned in pleasure as she took the heavy sacs into her mouth, suckling and licking at them. He wanted to come but he pushed her away, determined to reward her for her obedience and courage.

  Kelly whimpered as he pulled her to her feet and then bent her over. Her knees came in contact with something soft, she wasn’t sure what it was but she was grateful for it, her knees felt abraded and raw.

  Michael bent his head to her dripping nether lips. His tongue worked against that juicy pocket of flesh. Kelly squirmed against his mouth, sensations exploding inside her as he slid fingers inside her, first one then a second.

  His tongue pressed harder against her clit and his fingers thrust inside her. The friction sent her spiraling into ecstasy. “Oh please…” she begged, “Please let me come!”

  Michael moved his mouth away from her sweet smelling flesh to say, “Come for me right now.”

  She did. Thick white come gushed from her swollen channel and her inner thighs shook as her ass cheeks squeezed and flexed. Her arms ached furiously and she began to sob from the welter of emotions and physical sensations.

  Michael soothed her and untied her. Pins and needles struck her hands and arms and she had to flop them around to get the blood to circulate. Michael helped by chafing them until warmth flooded through and she sighed with relief.

  They were so caught up with each other that they never saw Lolita, her eyes narrowed in anger, standing at the top of the path.

  **

  The days had fled past. At work Kelly and Michael maintained their distance. They both kept up grueling hours and their projects proved it. Kelly finished one in record time and began another. Michael got the department under control and brought the budget in slightly under the projected costs without laying off anyone, much to everyone’s relief.

  This night they walked down the empty hallways together, neither of them speaking much. It had been a long day and Michael was tired. Worse, his phone kept erupting, the special ring he had programmed into it clueing him into the fact that there was a bad situation brewing at home.

  “Dinner?” Kelly asked.

  “I can’t. He hadn’t meant for his words to sound so harsh. “I’m sorry, I have…” he stopped, his jaw clenching. “I have a lot of work still on my plate. I’ll see you tomorrow.” He paused to give her a distracted kiss and she stood there, watching him go.

  A warning bell had just sounded in her head. Suspicion boiled inside her. His actions were familiar, too damn familiar.

  He’s seeing someone else. Cold chills broke out across her skin at the thought. She tried to shake it off but couldn’t. Driving home she found herself picking at that thought like a scabbing wound. He never invited her to his place and when she suggested it he said no far too quickly, plus he never slept over. He didn’t allow her to call and he had a phone that was just for personal use, a number she didn’t have…

  Was he married? She was so thunderstruck by that question she nearly ran into the car in front of her. When her car finally stopped she sat there, staring ahead and thinking furiously. All the pieces fit, and neatly too.

  “You’re a perfect idiot.” Her face, whiter than usual and with dark rings caused by shock around the eyes, stared back at her from her rearview mirror.

  On an impulse she spun the wheel and headed back toward downtown, determined to see him.

  **

  “Michael!”

  He resisted the urge to run. Instead he turned, pasting a pleasant smile onto his face. “Hello Lolita, how are you?”

  Lolita stopped a few inches from him, her eyes running across his body with avid greed. “I’m fine, I just thought we could have dinner.”

  With me as the main course, Michael thought cynically. His personal phone beeped again, reminding him as to why he had had to come home instead of spending time with Kelly. “I’m sorry, I have a lot to do.”

  Lolita stepped closer, her lips pursing into a pout. “Oh come on,” she cooed, “You can make time for me.”

  Her hands came up and rested on his shoulders and she leaned closer, her face almost touching his own.

  Kelly, driving past, saw them there. Anger exploded in her heart and she had a terrible urge to run right over the two of them. Fortunately her reason took over and she kept driving, her teeth clenched and her fingers white knuckled on the steering wheel.

  She cursed and punched the seat beside her. It made her feel slightly better but not much. When she got home she ran up the stairs, tossed a can of tuna at Princess a
nd changed into a pair of running shorts and tank before lacing up her sneakers and heading out for a long run.

  An hour later she stood bent over in front of her building, her chest heaving and her breath coming in harsh winded exhales and inhales. Her body ached but not as much as her heart, she felt foolish and used.

  She was pissed off at herself too. She climbed the stairs wearily and opened the door to find Princess staring up at her, a quizzical expression on his hairy face. She bent down and scooped him up. He nestled into the curve of her arms and patted her face with his huge hairy paws.

  “I knew I kept you around for some reason,” she said as she sat down on the couch and put her face into his warm fur.

  His rusty purr masked her sobs.

  **

  Michael finally got rid of Lolita and went into the building. He saw the look the doorman gave him, he had worked there in the days when Lolita and he had been together and broke up, so he likely recalled all too well the giant fit she had thrown. Not to mention the high heeled shoes, when he had broken up with her.

  The elevator seemed to take forever to reach his floor and by the time it did he was almost desperately tired. Opening the door to find the day nurse glaring at him he put the same polite smile ha had glued on for Lolita into place and said, “I’m sorry Janet, I got here as soon as I could.”

  “Carol won’t be here tomorrow either,” Janet announced, “I’m an hour past my quitting time. I can’t be late picking up my daughter Mr. Adams so you’re going to have to hire a new night nurse or get home earlier.”

  “I see. I’m sorry for not being able to come home when you called.”

  She didn’t seem even slightly mollified. “I am leaving, he’s fed and in bed but he’ll need to be turned and so on.”

  “Thank you.”

  After Janet left he went to the door of the smaller bedroom and peered in. The man in the bed was ghost white, lines hung about the bed and only his nose, jutting prow-like from the sheets, was large enough to make an impression. The rest of him had withered away to almost nothing.

  Michael didn’t go in, he stood there, staring at the sunken right side of his father’s face and trying not to think about the wrecked left side of it, the side ravaged by a bullet.